V-BRCH Grant Writing Workshop

Grant Writing Workshop
April 25 – 29, 2022

Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria


Workshop Objectives

  • To provide participants with a general overview of the elements of a grant proposal
  • To review potential funding sources and identify the different types of career development, research, and programmatic grants relevant to participants’ personal or professional goals
  • To provide participants with experience designing a research question and developing specific aims and hypotheses for a potential grant application
    • To provide participants the opportunity to create a professional, competitive grant-specific aims page and experience the grant aims studio review process
  • To familiarize participants with metrics for grant review and key components of the grant review process
  • To understand and apply principles of effective scientific communication for grant writing applications and communicate effectively with grant funding agencies and foundations
  • Topics/Lectures (all times Nigeria)

    Pre-Workshop Activities

    • Participant perspectives: Pre-workshop survey

    Time

    Topic

    Instructor

    Day 1

    9:00am - 9:30am

    Welcome Address & Introductions

    Program Faculty/ Facilitators

    9:30 am – 10:00 am

    Program Introduction: Brief Introduction to the Workshop Format and Agenda/ Faculty/ Participants/ Why you?

    Mahmoud Sani, MBBS, PhD

    10:00 am – 10:30 am

    Putting Together a Strong Proposal: Components of a grant, strategies to prepare to apply, & what makes a strong grant

    Muktar Aliyu, MBBS, DrPH

    10:30 am -11:00 am

    Break

    N/A

    11:00 am – 12:00 pm

    Fundamentals of Research Methodology I: Session focused on generating a research question and developing specific aims & hypotheses for the proposed research question

    Aima Ahonkhai, MD, MPH

    12:00 pm -1:00 pm

    Lunch Break

    N/A

    1:00 pm -2:00 pm

    Fundamentals of Research Methodology II: Session focused on the anatomy of a specific aims page & developing the specific aims page for a grant proposal

    Kevin Gibas, MD & C. William Wester, MD, MPH

    2:00 pm -2:30 pm

    Break

    N/A

    2:30 pm -3:30 pm

    Identifying Funding Sources, Institutional Awards, & Award Types: Session focused on what potential funding sources exist, what the leading funding agencies are, and what the different types of career development, research, and programmatic grants are.

    Muktar Aliyu, MBBS, DrPH

    3:30 pm- 4:30 pm

    Sources of Local Funding: TET Funds

     

    Aminu Muhammad, MBBS

    4:30 pm – 5:00 pm

    Small Group: Meet with small groups (with mentors) to identify a research question and begin developing hypotheses/aims.

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/ Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    5:00 pm

    Adjourn

    N/A

    Day 2

    9:00 am - 9:30 am

    Recap of Day 1

    Participants

    9:30 am - 10:30 am

    Grant Review Process: Session focused on the presentation of sample grant and walking participants through the grant review process. NIH video to be assigned before workshop.

    Aima Ahonkhai, MD, MPH

    10:30 am - 12:00 pm

    Small-Group Session: Walking through examples of successful and unsuccessful grant applications with a focus on aims/hypotheses

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

    Lunch Break

    N/A

    1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

    Basics of Scientific Communication & Writing: Session focused on scientific writing and grant writing techniques

    Muktar Aliyu, MBBS, DrPH

    2:00 pm- 3:00 pm

    Small Groups: Participants work on drafting the research question and developing hypotheses in their small group.

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/ Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

    Break

    N/A

    3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

    Small Groups: Participants continue working on drafting the research question and developing hypotheses in their small group. Focus on aims in this small group session.

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/ Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    5:00 pm

    Adjourn

    N/A

    Day 3

    9:00 am - 9:30 am

    Recap of Day 2

    Participants

    9:30 am - 10:30 am

    Fundamentals of Research Methodology III: Session focused on developing research questions/aims and appropriate research/study designs for the proposed research question

    C. William Wester, MD, MPH

    10:30 am - 12:00 pm

    Small Groups Session: Mentors work with participants and given them feedback on their initial rough drafts of their aims page.  

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/ Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

    Lunch Break

    N/A

    1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

    Fundamentals of Research Methodology IV: Session focused on generating a simple data analytical plan for the study design/type selected.

    Baba Musa, MBBS, MPH

    2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

    Break

    N/A

    2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

    Interactions with Funders: Session focused on budgetary considerations, interacting and communication with funders including Just-in-Time requests

    Panel: Shehu Abdullahi, Kamilu Karaye, Umar Sabo, & Mahmoud U. Sani

    3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

    Small Group Session: Participants work on compiling their group's final project including the research question, hypotheses, and aims. Receive feedback from the group facilitator. Participant assignment: revisions based on moderator feedback and designating presenters for day 4.  

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/ Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    5:00 pm

    Adjourn

    N/A

    Day 4

    9:00 am - 9:30 am

    Recap of Day 3

    Participants

    9:30 am - 10:30 am

    Small Group Session: Feedback on final grant project, peer reviews, thoughts, suggestions for improvement and discussions for presenting to the group.

    Gibas/Aliyu/Wester/ Ahonkhai/Musa/Tsiga-Ahmed

    10:30 am - 11:30 am

    Presentations: Small groups 1 & 2 present their final project to the who group at large → Feedback and suggestions provided by facilitators and other groups 

    Participants

    12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

    Lunch Break

    N/A

    1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

    Presentations: Small groups 3 & 4 present their final project to the who group at large → Feedback and suggestions provided by facilitators and other groups 

    Participants

    2:00 pm –3:00 pm

    Break

    N/A

    3:00 pm –4:00 pm

    Presentations: Small groups 5 & 6 present their final project to the who group at large → Feedback and suggestions provided by facilitators and other groups 

    Participants

    4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

    Closing comments and feedback

    N/A

    Day 5

    9:00 am - 9:30 am

    Recap of Day 4

    Participants

    9:30 am - 10:00 am

    Group Pictures

    Participants

    10:30 am - 12:30 pm

    Certificate Ceremony & Adjourn

    Participants

     

     

  • Lead Faculty

    ahonkhaiAimalohi (Aima) Ahonkhai, MD, MPH
    Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
    Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA

    V-BRCH Investigator

     

     

     

    gibasKevin M. Gibas, MD
    Clinical Infectious Diseases Fellow
    Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA

     

     

     

     



     

     

    VBRCH Support Faculty (alphabetical order)

       

    Shehu Abdullahi, MBBS, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Consultant Pediatrician, Bayero University and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

    aliyu   Muktar Aliyu, MBBS, DrPH, Professor of Health Policy & Medicine,
    Associate Director for Research,
    Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health,
    Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

    V-BRCH Multiple Principal Investigator
         
       

    Kamilu Karaye, MB BCh, PhD, Professor of Cardiology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

         
    musa   Baba Musa, MBBS, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine,
    Bayero University, Nigeria

    Consultant Physician,
    Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

    V-BRCH Investigator
         
    sabo  

    Umar Sabo, MBBS, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

         
    sani   Mahmoud Sani, MBBS, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Dean of Clinical Sciences,
    Bayero University, Nigeria

    Consultant Cardiologist,
    Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

    V-BRCH Multiple Principal Investigator
         
    fatimah ahmed   Fatimah Tsiga-Ahmed, MBBS, MSc, Assistant Professor of Community Medicine & Director, MS Public Health Program,
    Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

    V-BRCH Investigator
         
    wester  

    C. William Wester, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine,
    Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health,
    Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

    V-BRCH Multiple Principal Investigator

       
    mohammed  

    Aminu Z. Mohammad, MBBS, MWACP, FMCPath, Professor of Pathology and Consultant Pathologist, Bayero University and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano

         
  • headshot Zainab Abdulazeez
    Dr. Zainab is a consultant Family physician working in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. She has over 14 years of successful experience in patient care and research. She is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians and an associate fellow of the National Post Graduate Medical College, Nigeria. She has a special interest in Geriatrics and lifestyle medicine backed by her training in Family medicine. She has served in various capacities in various medical associations and has been appointed to several professional committees involved in improving healthcare systems in Nigeria.  She was one of the World Health Organization experts in Healthy Ageing for impact in the 21st century. She has been recognized consistently for performance excellence and contributions to success in the medical field through research and humanitarian aid. She has ample leadership skills, is always enthusiastic, and eager to contribute to team success through hard work, attention to detail, and excellent organizational skills. She is motivated to learn, grow, and excel in medicine and research. She currently lives in Kano, Nigeria with her family.

     
      Dr. Aisha Adamu
     
    headshot Halima Adamu, MBBS, FMCPaed
    Dr. Halima is a paediatrician born and raised in Kano state northern Nigeria. She began her academic career in Kano from primary school through to tertiary education and obtained MBBS from BUK in the year 2006. She joined the postgraduate training in AKTH and became a fellow with NPMCN in Paediatrics (FMCPaed) in 2018, with a special interest in paediatric neurology. She is currently developing her career in this field under the mentorship of certified neurologists. Her training has exposed her to many courses that enabled her to learn and appreciate leadership and management, research, training, and capacity building in addition to clinical expertise. She participated in many kinds of research with both local and international collaborators notably the long-standing robust and escalating VUMC - AKTH collaboration. She has but few publications and presented at conferences. She held posts and positions in medical and non-medical associations where I learned to have an excellent interpersonal relationship. 
     
    headshot Babatunde Ademola, MBChB 
    Ademola Babatunde is a Consultant Physician/Nephrologist working with the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano, Nigeria. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, and finished his Residency in Internal Medicine in 2016 from AKTH with a Fellowship from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. He has been involved in hemodialysis and transplant care for patients with kidney disease, training Medical and Nursing students rotating through the unit, and also involved in several ongoing studies and trials. His current areas of interest are health-related quality of life among patients on hemodialysis and diabetic nephropathy. He is also a V-BRCH scholar having received training and mentorship from the Vanderbilt and AKTH programmes.
     
    headshot Jameel Ismail Ahmad, MBBS, FWACS, MBA/FWACP
    Dr. Jameel obtained his basic medical degree in 2004 and did a residency in cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery in Nigeria, Ghana, and India, which he completed in 2014. Since then, he has been practicing as a cardiovascular & thoracic surgeon and a lecturer in surgery in Nigeria. He is involved in teaching, training, and conducting research in cardiovascular and thoracic diseases and working towards establishing a regional Heart center. He also obtained a Master in Business Administration. His career aspiration is to involve more in cardiovascular and thoracic diseases research, clinical-economic studies and health worker brain drain.
     
    headshot Misbahu Ahmad
    Dr. Misbahu Obtained his basic medical degree from Bayero University Kano in 2006 and proceeded with his residency training in neurosurgery with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Memfys Hospital for neurosurgery Enugu, Medanta Hospital Gurgaon, India, NSCB Medical College Jabalpur, India; which he finished in 2015. In addition he further trainings in Neurosurgery with Southmead Hospital Bristol and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in the United Kingdom as well as AO spine fellowship in Istanbul, Turkey. He is presently a senior lecturer with Bayero University Kano and an honorary Consultant Special Grade in Neurosurgery with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. I am interested in developing a career as a public health neurosurgeon with a research interest in neural tube defects and novel techniques in minimally invasive neurosurgery.
     
    headshot Mustapha Ahmed Yusuf, MBBS, MSc, PhD
    Mustapha Ahamed Is a lecturer and trained medical entomologist with expertise in biotherapy in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, and an Honourary Consultant overseeing the Maggot Debridement Therapy Unit in the Department of Microbiology Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. He is a young researcher with a medical background (MBBS, MSc, PhD), and has a cumulative experience in academics, laboratory, and biotherapy. He has been teaching students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and also supervises these students in the handling and analysis of data. 
     
    headshot Abdulakeem Aluko
    Abdulakeem Aluko obtained his basic medical degree (MB.BS), from the University of Ilorin, Kwara state in 1992 and proceeded with his residency training in Otorhinolaryngology which he completed in 2005, with the Department of E.N.T, Unilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin; Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos and University College Hospital, Ibadan. In addition, he furthered his training in Otorhinolaryngology with Fellowship in Micro-Ear surgery; MCV Trust Hospital, India. He is presently an Associate Professor, Department of E.N.T, Bayero University Kano, and an honorary Consultant, Special Grade I in Department of E.N.T, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano He is interested in developing a career as a public health Otorhinolaryngology with research interest in Deafness / Hearing loss.
     
    headshot Aliyu Aminu MBBS, FMCpath
    Aliyu Aminu is a Lecturer and Consultant Pathologist (Medical Microbiologist) at Bayero University Kano and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. He has the experience and research interest in infectious disease and microbiology (antimicrobial resistance). He also has passion and experience in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases, as well as knowledge and experience in laboratory strengthening and quality management systems and in-hospital infection prevention and control.
     
    headshot Taiwo Amole, MBBS, FWACP, MSc
    Taiwo Amole is a Community Health Physician with a special interest in adolescent health. She has a fellowship of the West African College of Physicians and a master's degree in public health. Currently, she is the Deputy Director for Research at the Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy at BUK, which affords her the unique opportunity of mentoring both under and post-graduate students, as well as junior colleagues. Taiwo is presently working on adolescent health projects and aims to support the development and implementation of culturally acceptable strategies that improve their sexual and reproductive health service utilization.
     
    headshot Usman Bashir, MBBS, FWACP
    Usman Bashir is An MBBS graduate of Bayero University Kano in October 2004, currently serving as a Lecturer I /Honorary Consultant to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Bayero University Kano concurrently. He had his primary School Education in Kano and High School at Federal Government College Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria. In his university days, he serves as the Class-Captain (1996-2004) throughout his medical School years and was the immediate past Director-General of Kano State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS. A Fellow of Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Faculty of Public Health. He has participated in several studies across various states in the country, especially in Maternal and Child Health care, Operation Research in HIV care, support, management, and leadership level at the state and national levels. He is Happily married with 2 children.
     
    headshot Halima Bello-Manga, MBBS, MPH
    Dr. Bello-Manga is a board-certified Hematologist and Senior Lecturer working at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital/Kaduna State University, Nigeria. She has devoted her clinical and research career to the care of children and adults with hematologic conditions, with an emphasis on sickle cell disease (SCD). She is an alumnus of the Vanderbilt Institute of Research Development and Ethics (2017 and 2019) and the American Society of Hematology’s Clinical Research Training Institute (2019). She is currently working on her NIH/FIC/NINDS-funded K43 award on scaling up stroke prevention in children with sickle cell anemia in a community hospital in Kaduna State using implementation science.
     
    headshot Fatima Damagum, MBBS, FWACP
    Fatima Damagum is a Consultant Family Physician working at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Her special interests are in lifestyle medicine and sexual health. She has served in various capacities in various medical associations and has been appointed to several professional committees involved in improving healthcare systems in Nigeria. She is a recipient of the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship where she studied public administration at the University of Illinois. She is passionate about literature and has since established herself as a newspaper columnist in one of the Nigerian newspapers. 
     
    headshot Faisal Dankishiya, MBBS
    Dr. Faisal is a medical doctor with a special interest in health-related research. Since his graduation from medical school eight years ago, Faisal has participated in numerous studies in several capacities ranging from project design, implementation and analysis. His research experience covers both quantitative and qualitative studies using different study designs. Currently, he is managing an NIH-funded randomized controlled clinical trial that seeks to identify the effectiveness of Lisinopril to retard or reverse the progression of kidney disease among HIV-positive adults in Nigeria. The study is a collaboration between faculty at the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
     
    headshot Aisha Galadanci Akilu
    Aisha Galadanci is a board-certified hematologist working with Aminu Kano Teaching hospital and a senior lecturer at Bayero University Kano. VIRDE alumni as well as a recipient of the ASH Visitor Training Program. She was the medical monitor in Nigeria for several NIH- and Thrasher-funded primary and secondary stroke prevention trials in children with SCD. My research focuses on newborn screening and pre-marital genetic counseling for sickle cell disease.
     
    headshot Safiya Gambo
    Dr. Safiya obtained her MBBS degree from Bayero University in 2004 and subsequently obtained her fellowship in Paediatrics with the National postgraduate medical college of Nigeria in 2015. She has been involved in mentoring and teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has also served as site principal investigator in a number of researches notably the SPRING study (stroke prevention in Nigeria) and the ongoing SAMS study (Severe acute malnutrition in sickle cell disease). These experiences have made her develop a keen interest in clinical research in paediatrics, and is a career path she hopes to develop. She also has a passion for paediatric cardiology and hopes to bridge the gap resulting in the morbidity and mortality of our young patients with chronic heart conditions due to the inaccessibility of surgery. Her hobbies are reading novels and traveling.
     
    headshot Hafsat Ibrahim MBBS, FWACPpaed
    Hafsat Ibrahim is a young paediatrician with a strong background in general paediatrics and infectious diseases, practicing in the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa, where communicable and non-communicable diseases abound. Infectious diseases account for up to 80% of all admissions, driving her zeal and enthusiasm for knowledge and research in these areas to build and strengthen her passion for improving care and increasing the knowledge base. She is also currently involved in research in these areas, with multiple publications.

     
    headshot Umma A. Ibrahim MBBS, FMCPaed, MScPH 
    Dr. Umma is a Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and a senior lecturer with the Department of Paediatrics, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital/Bayero University Kano. She is a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and holds a Master of Science degree in Public Health from Bayero University Kano. Her area of research interest is sickle cell disease with particular attention to implementing the newborn screening program and comprehensive care for children with sickle cell disease in Kano. She is the site PI for the under 7 sickle cell disease clinics supported by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/Dave and Philips Grant. She is involved in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students.
     
    headshot Ibrahim Idris, MBBS, FMCPath, MPH
    Dr. Ibrahim is a board-certified hematologist working with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, as well as an alumnus of the VECD-Fogarty Global Health program and the American Society of Hematology Clinical Research Training Institute. He has a Master of Public Health (Epidemiology). His research interests cover some of the most devastating complications of sickle cell disease (SCD), such as reproductive and sexual health challenges in male patients, neurological injuries, and SCD as an accelerated aging syndrome. Dr. Idris is focused on understanding the clinical epidemiology and treatment strategies for silent infarcts and recurrent ischemic priapism in men with SCD.
     
    headshot Anas Ismail, MBBS, FMCR
    Anas Ismail graduated from Bayero University Kano (BUK) in 2004, completed residency training in Radiology and a fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (FMCR) in 2011, and completed additional training in vascular radiology and image-guided interventions at the Medical University of Graz, Austria in 2012. He joined the BUK department of Radiology in 2012 and is currently an Associate Professor. Since joining BUK, and as an honorary consultant at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, he has been active in teaching undergraduate and post-graduate students in the aspects of vascular and image-guided interventions. He has a passion for research in vascular ultrasound and non-communicable diseases (especially sickle cell disease, diabetes, arterial disease and cancers) and has published a number of collaborative scientific papers.
     
    headshot

    Hasiya Tijjani Ismail, MBBS
    Dr. Hasiya received her MBBS in 2006 from Bayero University Kano and completed a fellowship in Internal Medicine and Neurology (FWACP) and a master's in Health Economics in 2019. She is the first student from the Bayero University MPH program to be selected as a V-BRCH trainee. She has completed multiple training workshops and courses in Nigeria and in international settings.  
     

    headshot Yasir Nuhu Jibril
    Dr. Yasir is a fellow of the West African college of surgeons and National postgraduate medical college of Nigeria in otorhinolaryngology (head & neck surgery), and also holds a Master of Science degree in Otolaryngology. He works in the department of Ear, Nose and Throat of Aminu Kano Teaching hospital where he did his residency training. He did his medical training at Bayero University, Kano where he obtained his MB.BS degree and later an MSc degree in otolaryngology from the same institution. Yasir has a special interest in otology and head & neck surgery. His research interest is in the fields of diagnosis and treatment of newborn and Childhood hearing loss, Head & Neck Cancers, as well as general Otolaryngology. He is quite motivated, hardworking, focused and dedicated to achieving set goals. 
     
    headshot Halima Kabir, MBBS
    Dr. Halima graduated from Ahmadu Bello University (MBBS, 2002) and completed a fellowship in paediatrics by The National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. She currently teaches undergraduates, postgraduates and Paediatric residents. Her research interests include emergency and critical paediatrics and paediatric nutrition, including reducing morbidity and mortality among critically ill children presenting to emergency units in resource-poor settings and improving the knowledge and skills of health care providers in these units, particularly in triage and airway management. Over the last five years, she has helped lead a successful training workshop in collaboration with Paediatric Universal Life Saving Effort (PULSE), New York, USA to train health care workers from resource-poor settings on the immediate management of critically ill children, particularly those with sepsis and septic shock. She is currently a co-investigator for the Sepsis Incidence, Determinants and Outcome in Kano (SIDOK) study. In addition to her academic and research responsibilities, she heads the AKTH Emergency Paediatric Unit, a position she has held since 2014.
     
    headshot Shehu Kana, MBBS, FWACP
    Dr. Shehu is currently a consultant cardiologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. His goals and aspirations are to be a world-class research fellow, be a good leader worthy of emulation by younger colleagues, and impact positively on the lives of my patients, around whom my world revolves. His most relevant achievements are the award of the fellowship of the West African College of Physicians and his participation in some international trials and registries. He has a special interest in conducting clinical research and training younger colleagues.
     
    headshot Fatime Kyari, MBBS
    Dr. Fatime is a Paediatrician working with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria, she has been working with the Paediatric neurology unit of the hospital for the past two years and is committed to pursuing a career in neurology. She also has an interest in childhood adversities and has worked on post-traumatic stress disorder among internally displaced children and adolescents in the northeastern part of Nigeria affected by the insurgency. She was born and raised in Maiduguri and obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Maiduguri in 2010.  She underwent residency training in paediatrics in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and became a fellow faculty of Paediatrics of the National Postgraduate College of Nigeria in 2021.
     
      Abdulgafar Lekan
    Abdulgafar Lekan is a consultant Family Physician at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital with a special interest in health economics and geriatrics. He specialized in offering continuous and comprehensive care in primary care and also coordinates care between other specialists to improve patient care. He has written articles on elderly nutrition, morbidity profiles and anemia. Also, recently wrote an article on facemasks used to prevent COVID-19 infection. He is a Nigerian who loves playing football and is happily married with children.
     
    headshot Aishatu Nalado, PhD
    Aishatu Nalado is a consultant physician and the first trained female nephrologist in Kano, Nigeria. Her areas of research interest are in prevalent disease conditions associated with end-stage renal disease and developing effective options for managing renal disease in the tropics, including kidney transplant and dialysis. She provides clinical care at the renal disease clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, where she teaches medical residents and provides clinical leadership and technical guidance in the management of patients with renal disease. 
     
    headshot Mansur Ramalan, MBBS, MSc
    Dr. Mansur is a Consultant Physician/Endocrinologist at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. He is a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in Internal Medicine with a subspecialty in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. He is currently undertaking a VECD fellowship focusing integration of care for adrenal insufficiency in patients with HIV infection under the mentorship of Muktar Aliyu, MBBS, DrPH, Zubairu Iliyasu, MBBS, MPH, PhD and Ibrahim Gezawa MD. Dr. Ramalan's research work has been on the epidemiology of diabetes mellitus and endocrine disorders in resource-poor settings.
     
    headshot Auwal Salihu MBBS, MSc (Health Econs), FMPsych 
    Dr. Salihu is a consultant Psychiatrist with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Senior Lecturer at Bayero University, Kano. He worked with patients suffering from different kinds of primary psychiatric conditions and those with medical conditions coexisting with psychiatric disorders. He trained undergraduate and postgraduate students and resident doctors. His research works cover conditions like Depression, Epilepsy, Substance Use Disorders, ADHD and Cognitive Disorders. There are many evidence-based interventions that could solve many mental health problems in Nigeria and other low- and medium-income countries (LMICs) if we can understand how we can effectively implement them and scale-up services. He has attended a workshop on implementation science in the past. He is currently involved in work with Bridge Project (Bridging the Childhood Epilepsy Treatment Gap in Africa) Team (Vanderbilt/AKTH) where he is having a first-hand experience in implementation Science/Implementation research.
     
    headshot Jamila Sani Ibrahim MBBS, MSc, FMCPaed
    Dr. Jamila Is a paediatrician currently with the Department of Paediatrics Muhammadu Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital Kano. She holds an MBBS and Msc from Bayero University Kano. Also a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in Paediatrics. She aspires to become a foremost researcher in her field with a penchant for epilepsy, stroke in children with sickle cell anemia and global health. Provides clinical care, and mentors medical students and junior colleagues. Participates in research studies both with local and international collaborators and is also a member of some professional bodies.
     
    headshot Sherifah Sheriff, MBBS
    Dr. Sherifah obtained her MBBS degree from the University of Maiduguri and trained to become a Chemical Pathologist in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, with a detailed understanding of the biochemical and metabolic processes and changes that occur in human disease. Her training has exposed her to many courses in leadership and management, research, teaching, and capacity building, in addition to practical laboratory and clinical skills. Her areas of special interest are Reproductive Endocrinology, Metabolic and Endocrine derangements in HIV/AIDS individuals, and have conducted research on the prevalence of Thyroid disorders among HIV/AIDS patients. She has a passion for the diagnosis and management of metabolic disorders, as well as strengthening the laboratory quality management system.
     
    headshot Abdullahi  Suleiman, MBBS, MHE, FMCFM, FWACP
    Abdullahi Kabir Suleiman is a Family Physician working with the Department of Family Medicine at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. He holds an MBBS and a master's degree in health economics from Bayero University, Kano. He is a Fellow of the National Postgraduate College of Nigeria in Family Medicine.  He hopes to become the foremost physician and researcher in his field. He was a Kano site investigator for the Comparison of Dual Therapies for Lowering Blood Pressure in Black Africans Study.